The Crystal Balls
by Scarlet Secret
Summary: The truth about the feud between Sybill Trelawney and Minerva McGonagall.
1. The Crystal Balls

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I wish I did.  
  
Hogwarts 2003  
  
"Minerva, do you think it was quite appropriate to shout at Sybil when she was in that state.?"  
  
"I apologise Headmaster. But I feel the need to shout at Sybil Trelawney at quite a few intervals of the day."  
  
It was only a few minutes ago that Minerva McGonagall had been rushing to the aid of Sybil Trelawney, when Dolores Umbridge had tried to throw her out of the school. Minerva had felt a strange surge of protectiveness. After the argument, Minerva had taken her old friend back to her tower. Words had been exchanged and the result was Sybil was in an even more hysterical mood. Granted she wasn't normally stable, but it was unnerving to actually see her drunk and weeping. Minerva had snapped. It was more than likely the pent up anger against Dolores had exploded at the wrong moment, (ie. When Dolores herself or Severus weren't on the receiving end.) But it had certainly made its impact. Now she sat in Dumbledore's office with an extremely large sense of guilt and an extremely larger sense of Deja vu.  
  
"Minerva, why, tonight of all nights did you have to lose your temper and re-open this ridicules feud with Sybil.?"  
  
He didn't know that tonight was the 50th anniversary of when it all fallen apart, there weren't many things Albus Dumbledore didn't know, but she was certain he didn't know this.  
  
"I can't explain Headmaster."  
  
She could, but she wasn't planning to. Deja vu, she had said those very words to him regarding why Sybil was in hysterics 50 years ago. It was still a horrible memory and no matter how she painted it, she couldn't make it Sybil's fault. 


	2. The Crystal Balls 2

Hogwarts 1947  
  
Minerva McGonagall was very nerverse and excited and.......a whole range of emotions flooded her, because today was her first at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was currently sitting in a compartment to herself (she wasn't worried about friends yet), with her brand new Transfiguration book propped upon her knees. Only half an hour had passed before a timid looking blond girl entered slowly.  
  
"Can I sit here please, all the other compartments are full."  
  
"Of corse, please sit down."  
  
The girl smiled, sat down and extracted her own book, 'Death Omens-What to do when you Know the Worst is Coming'. Minerva flinched mentally. Brilliant, she mused, the first person I meet is a lunatic, what next a giant, an evil Lord. Minerva studied the girl discreetly, she was a little shorter than Minerva, but no where near as lanky, she had blond hair that was loose and wild, and her spectacles were so large they made her look demented. Minerva said the first thing that sprung to mind.  
  
"What's with the specs'.?"  
  
The girl looked up and immediately noticed the other girls small, square, smart glasses and her dark hair, pulled back into a bun.  
  
"My insane mother thinks I'll grow into them. She's completely batty though, thinks just because an ancestor was a seer, we all will be. That's why I wear them."  
  
"What do you mean.?"  
  
"My mother wants me to turn into her, a complete fraud, and off her rocker."  
  
"By the way, I'm Minerva McGonagall, who are you.?"  
  
"Sybil Trelawney, you a first year.?"  
  
"Yeah, you too.?" Sybil nodded.  
  
"I'm petrified, what about you.?"  
  
"Terrified, my brothers weren't exactly encouraging."  
  
"Please don't tell me. Which house do you think you'll be in.?"  
  
"I'm hoping for Gryffindor, I wanna be a lion. And you.?"  
  
"Don't really know, long as it's not Slytherin."  
  
"I don't think either of us will be in Slytherin, Sybil, but I hope were in the same house."  
  
Sybil grinned, so did Minerva. From there they were best friends, they were both put in Gryffindor, they were both good students, but unfortunately they both fell for the same, handsome Slytherin sixth year. 


	3. The Crystal Balls 3

Hogwarts 1951  
  
His name was Tom Riddle. He was a year older than them, this made him fascinating and a lot more powerful than them, that's why they both fell for him. He had asked Sybil to Hogsmeade, she had hesitated, but after a thumbs up by Minerva (from behind his head), Sybil had accepted with glee. That weekend, they had a wonderful time, joking and talking and laughing. There was something exotic about Tom Riddle, something unknown, but extremely exciting. After he escorted her back to school they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. She didn't know he had asked Minerva to meet him in the corridor, if she hadn't forgotten her scarf, Sybil wouldn't have gone back to find him. She arrived to find Minerva and Tom inches apart.  
  
"Minerva, my dear, I do not see what we are doing wrong, that idiot friend of yours would never know."  
  
"Tom, she's not an idiot, she's my best friend and I would never want to risk hurting her."  
  
"Not even for this.?"  
  
He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her hard, she didn't pull away, he knew she loved this. The fact that she could get away with this was intoxicating. Sybil was mortified. Her best friend and her would-be- boyfriend, this sort of thing only happened in trashy, romance novels. She looked again at the scene. She hoped to see Minerva kick him where it hurts, yell at him and storm away, but she was disappointed. Minerva melted into his embrace willingly and he pulled her, if possible, closer to him. They began to move quickly towards the storage cupboard and Sybil was heartbroken. She wouldn't interrupt them, she wasn't sick but she knew she would never again have a relationship with Tom or a friendship with Minerva. They were dead to her. 


	4. The Crystal Balls 4

Hogwarts 1953  
  
"Miss McGonagall, I never thought I would see you in my office."  
  
Professor Dumbledore was the head of Gryffindor so Minerva had to see him after her little outburst that while uncalled for, had been enormously satisfying. Her old best friend, Sybil, had ignored her completely for the whole year and Minerva had definitely had enough. She had smashed all the crystal balls under Sybil's bed in their dormitory. Now she was in trouble, huge substantial trouble. She couldn't answer him.  
  
"Why, Miss McGonagall, did you feel the need to brake some of Miss Trelawney's belongings.?"  
  
It was because Sybil had become more and more involved in Divination, she believed she had the sight. She really didn't.  
  
"I can't explain Headmaster."  
  
"Well, there was no harm done, I'm afraid you will receive a detention and 50 points from Gryffindor." She nodded slowly.  
  
"You may leave now."  
  
She walked quicky out of the office and thought about her old friendship with Sybil. Everything had fallen apart the night she had sex with Tom Riddle. It was a pointless mistake, she knew it was her fault, but she refused to be solely responsible. She was, however, responsible for smashing all of Sybil's crystal balls, although she had been in a fit of rage at the time. Sybil had, (refusing to speak to or even acknowledge Minerva's,) stormed out of their dormitory followed by the wide eyes of Xiomara Hooch, the only Gryffindor not to be angry at Minerva because of Tom. Minerva came to her conclusion, Sybil and her would never be friends again. They were forgotten. It was with a heavy heart Minerva, silently cried herself to sleep, not knowing another girl was doing the same two beds away. 


	5. The Crystal Balls 5

Hogwarts 2003  
  
"Sybil, it will be alright, she will not throw you out of the school."  
  
"But she will, she will.!!! She thinks me a fraud.!"  
  
"Everybody does Sybil, don't dwell on it."  
  
Sybil gave her an evil glare and Minerva tried to stifle her laughter, in vain.  
  
"I know you think I'm making it up Minerva but my predictions will one day be true."  
  
"Sybil, no one believes your stories and if I have anything to do with it, no one ever will."  
  
"You're just a miserable old bat Minerva, if he'd stayed with me, maybe thing would have been better."  
  
"Who.?"  
  
"Tom."  
  
Minerva was shocked, they had not spoken of 'Tom Riddle' for nearly 40 years.  
  
"Is that what this is about, after so long.?"  
  
"You hurt me badly Minerva, and you will never care."  
  
Sybil dashed for the bottle of Sherry she kept in the cupboard. Minerva beat her there. She snatched the bottle and threw it dramatically into the fire, where it exploded impressively.  
  
"Sybil, I say this to you in the spirit of friendship, you really need to sober up. Just calm down, Dumbledore, for some unfathomable reason actually wants you to stay at this school. And I respect his wishes."  
  
"Get out Minerva."  
  
The gaze she fixed her with made Minerva recoil and leave hastily. Both of them knew what today was the anniversary of. And once again they sobbed themselves to sleep. 


	6. The Crystal Balls 6

The Next Morning  
  
Sybil woke with a throbbing headache. She had not felt this bad in years, but unfortunately she remembered the events of the previous night. She managed to peel herself out of bed, take a shower and get dressed without falling over, but it was a close call when a knock came on her tower. After a few minutes and a cry of 'I'm coming' she was able to open the door. Nobody was there but there was a parcel. Sybil took it upstairs and opened it slowly. First she found the note. 'I'm sorry. Love Minerva'. Then she saw her gift. It was beautiful. Almost diamond looking and stunningly decorated with her favourite stones. It was a Crystal ball. 


End file.
